The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for the prevention of sudden infant death syndrome, and more particularly to a mattress for bassinets or cribs which provides for a supply of fresh air to an infant's mouth and prevents the infant's asphyxiation from carbon dioxide poisoning.
Each year, thousands of infants (aged 2 weeks to 1 year) die from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), a mysterious disorder in which otherwise healthy infants seemingly stop breathing. Although scientific and medical research has uncovered factors which indicate a predisposition to the disorder (i.e., low birth weight, age of mothers) no specific cause has been uncovered. Moreover, there are varied theories put forth by the medical community as to the cause of SIDS. Some theories suggest a neurological disorder in the infants which intercepts the breathing functions while sleeping and leads to the infant's death by asphyxiation.
Applicant believes a contributing cause of SIDS is that infants fall victim to asphyxiation from carbon dioxide poisoning. More specifically, infants sleeping face down rebreathe the carbon dioxide in the exhaled air trapped in the air pocket of their bedding near their air passages. Doctors, nurses and medical journals have for years recommended placing an infant on its back for sleeping to avoid this concern. However, many parents and caregivers are reluctant to follow this advice. Some infants prefer sleeping on their stomachs, and do not adjust to the changed position well. Moreover after 5-6 months, most infants can roll themselves over to their preferred sleeping position. Further, many infants have a tendency to regurgitate and parents are concerned their infant may choke on the regurgitated matter.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a mattress which will support an infant comfortably, and provide for a supply of fresh air to combat the effects of the carbon dioxide of exhaled air lingering near the infant's head.
In an effort to prevent such asphyxiation, mattresses have been developed that include air pumps to circulate oxygen to flush at the carbon dioxide. Hargest (U.S. Pat. No. 5,317,767) discloses an air pump interconnected with an air tube residing within the mattress. The air pump stimulates the circulation of fresh air. Watkins (U.S. Pat. No. 5,305,483) discloses a pillow portion having two layers, the upper layer being of porous, air permeable foam, the lower layer containing an air pocket to which an air pump is connected.
The present invention does not require an air pump, and is therefore easier to use and easier to transport. Because there are no additional motorized parts, the parent or caregiver need not stand vigilance over the mattress to ensure it is operational.
Further, in previous mattresses, only the head portion of the mattress serves to circulate air. Hargest discloses a separate body pad that is connected to the pillow with air circulating means. Ormerod (U.S. Pat. No. 3,339,216) discloses a mattress having a resilient impermeable, imperforate portion and an air permeable pillow portion with a series of perforations. If the infant should be very active in its sleep and move itself off the pillow portion, the purpose of providing fresh air to the head portion of the mattress is defeated.
The present invention provides fresh air at all points of the mattress, regardless of which direction the infant may end up facing. Moreover, because of this feature, the mattress may be turned, or flipped and still function, prolonging the useful life of the invention.